Around Us 06-05-09

Published 7:00 pm, Friday, June 5, 2009

LUBBOCK - Lubbock planners unanimously approved Thursday new ordinances that would allow larger alcohol stores than first proposed as the city tries to resolve challenges to existing rules.

Retailers could build stores as large as they want in the most common commercial zone throughout the city, and have almost three times the space first proposed for alcohol in more restrictive and most widespread commercial zones under the proposal.

The planning commission approved with little discussion the ordinance after spending an hour earlier in the evening in a closed-door, executive session on the proposal.

In zones that include major shopping centers - stores the size of larger Market Street United grocery stores or Wal-Mart - owners could operate alcohol businesses as large as they desired.

In the more widespread, smaller commercial zones, the city would limit space to 8,750 square feet - up from the 3,000 square feet approved months ago.

The changes will go before the City Council on June 23, where chief planner Randy Henson expects much more debate.

Voters approved off-premise alcohol sales in early May, but local retailers won a temporary restraining order days before the election after arguing the new ordinances gave unfair advantages to businesses that did not sell alcohol.

Package stores could not compete in the same areas as grocery stores, which can soon legally sell beer and wine, under the ordinances, Majestic Liquor Stores Inc. and Pinkie's Liquor argued in a lawsuit seeking the order. The retailers' filing also opposed size restrictions placed on alcohol stores not imposed on other businesses.

City attorneys agreed the objection had merit and will spend the summer changing their ordinances to comply with Texas law.

The new proposals require hearings and notices for businesses other than grocery or drug stores that plan to sell alcohol. They also continue to ban drive-through alcohol service in the city. - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

AUSTIN - Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison recently announced former Lubbock mayor Windy Sitton as one of 11 regional finance chairmen in Hutchison's bid for Texas governor. These chairmen are responsible for organizing the fundraising efforts in each of their regions.

"As the former mayor of Lubbock, I had the pleasure and honor to work with Kay Bailey Hutchison," Sitton said.

"I witnessed first-hand how responsive she was to our city's needs. During my tenure as a Texas Tech regent, I saw that her commitment to higher education was second to none, and I was consistently impressed by her dedication to Texas Tech University," Sitton said. - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

AMARILLO - Tornado sirens sounded in Amarillo on Thursday evening as severe storms moved through the area producing a tornado, hail, strong winds and driving rain.

Lance Goehring, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Amarillo, said officials decided to issue a tornado warning about 6:15 p.m. Thursday after storm spotters noticed cloud rotation in the skies near the hospitals in northwest Amarillo.

Goehring said the storm produced one confirmed tornado that touched down about 14 miles southwest of Amarillo near Ranch Road 2219 and City Lake Road in Randall County. No damage was reported.

The weather service received reports that tornadoes also touched down in Hartley and Dallam counties near Dalhart, but the reports had not been confirmed Thursday night, he said. - Amarillo Globe-News